Dawn Marsden - Ophir Tours

13/07/2021

Call 02 9911474 for details.

13/05/2021

For anyone flying in tomorrow to the Ramon Airport, there will be shuttles to Be'er Sheva and Ben Gurion

20/04/2021

13 months later, I am finally back at work, bittersweet though thinking of all the people in the travel industry waiting for the same opportunity!

26/05/2020

El Al update.

El Al have said that they will not be resuming their flights until the isolation restrictions are lifted and that foreign nationals are allowed to enter the country.

With regards to cancellations and changes, tickets issued for travel up to 31/8 can be frozen and can be used until 31/12/21. No change fee will be charged, only a difference in fare if applicable. Passengers who have already used part of their ticket can either use the 2nd half until 31/12/20, or request a refund for the part not used.

In the event that a flight is cancelled and no alternative is offered, a request for a full refund can be made.

26/05/2020

United Airlines update.

United Airlines are allowing a full refund on tickets where a flight has been cancelled and they are not able to offer another alternative within 6 hours. Additionally, if you have plans to travel this summer up until 31/12 and you cancel your reservation by 31/5, you will be allowed one free change in the future, not including any difference in fare. You will then be able to use your existing tickets for up to 2 years from the date of purchase, but must change it with 12 months of purchasing it.

14/05/2020

With things moving slowly to reopen Ben Gurion, this is how things will look from now for the time being when flying out of Ben Gurion.

Passengers will be required to arrive 4 hours prior to departure, and only people actually traveling will be allowed to enter the terminal. The terminal will only be operating international flights (it is unknown when terminal 1 will reopen). Any passenger entering the terminal will be required to keep the distancing requirements.

At the entrance of the terminal all passengers will be required to show their, ticket, passport and boarding card and will at this point have to be wearing a mask. In the event that they were unable to print their boarding card at home, it will be possible to print the out using the self service machines in the terminal.

Added to which, all passengers entering the terminal will have a temperature check, in the event that someone does have a temperature, they will not be allowed to enter the terminal, or fly and the relevant airline will be notified.

Whilst in line for the check in counters, passengers will be required to keep a 2 meter distance between themselves and the next passenger. Passengers will only be able to drop off their baggage at the counters.

Ben Gurion are investigating the possibility of passengers having a "health visa" showing that they have gone through any medical checks within a required amount of time prior to departure.

The current isolation requirements and the prohibition of foreign nationals entering the country is set to continue at least until 30/5.

All ground/security staff at the airport will also be required to go though temperature check. will be wearing masks at all times and there will be protected partitions al all check in counters. Robots and remote machines will be used to keep the terminal clean, and there will be several hand cleansing points situated throughout the terminal.

From next week McDonald's will open and it will be possible to to order via their app or one of the kiosks in the terminal, the order can then be collected at their counter. Duty free shops will begin to open gradually, and again passengers will need to order in advance via their app.

03/05/2020

https://www.jpost.com/international/how-will-coronavirus-change-air-travel-forever-626693

In a matter of months, the coronavirus reset the clock on a decades-long aviation boom that’s been one of the great cultural and economic phenomena of the postwar world.

26/04/2020

Reconnecting with London, Wizz Air will be resuming flights to Tel Aviv on 3/5 and will have 3 flights a week.

22/04/2020

Things starting to move, Delta plan to renew their flights from New York - Tel Aviv on 8/5.

27/03/2020

El Al to suspend all flights until 5/4.

22/03/2020

Just announced El Al will be sending another 5 flights in the next few days to bring Israeli citizens home stranded abroad. The flights will be to Mumbai, Perth, Sao Paolo, Costa Rica band Delhi.

18/03/2020

So here goes, day one of unpaid leave, currently out until 29/4.

Hoping to post on here to keep everyone updated on what is going on. The situation as it stands is that most of Europe is closing its borders as are many countries in South America.

El Al are still running 4 flights, one each to JFK and EWR, as well as London and Paris. BA and easyJet are still flying to London, and United, although are now down to one flight a day are still flying to EWR. Turkish have also cut down on flights but are still flying.

A lot of airlines have said they are suspending services until the end of the month, but it's really hard to know what will happen after that.

13/03/2020

Air Canada joins the list of airlines who will be ceasing their flights to Tel Aviv, their last flight will leave here on 18/3.

12/03/2020

After reviewing the situation and with most of the foreign airlines ceasing their flights to Israel, El Al will be scaling down their flights in the coming days.

Flights to Europe (with the exception of London and Paris) will stop by Sunday evening 15/3.

The last flight to Boston will leave Sat night/Sunday morning 15/3
The last flight to Mumbai will leave on Sunday 15/3
The last flight to San Francisco will leave Sunday night/Monday morning 16/3
The last flight to Moscow and Brussels will leave on Monday 16/3
The last flight to Miami will leave on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning 18/3
The last flight to Los Angeles will leave on Wednesday afternoon.

El Al will continue to monitor the situation as well as the guidelines of Misrad Habriut and will be fully prepared to renew flights to any destination when necessary.

It is recommended that passengers move up their flight and keep updated with advertisements and announcements about their flight.

12/03/2020

An update on the Airlines' activity in Israel.

Airlines who are no longer flying in/out of Tel Aviv.

Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, Brussels, Virgin Atlantic, Iberia, Air France, Delta, Tap Air Portugal, Alitalia, Wizz, Arkia, Israir, Air Baltic.

Airlines who have cut back on flights.

El Al, Turkish, Aerflot, Air Europe, LOT, EasyJet, Ryanair, British Airways.

11/03/2020

Just to clarify United are not cancelling any of their flights to the US for the next 7 days.

For tickets purchased before 3/3 and departures up until 30/4, they will not be charging a change fee for departures until 31/12 or 12 months from the date of purchase (whichever is earlier).

For new tickets purchased from 3-31/3, changes are permitted for free for 12 months from the date of issue.

Please note a difference in fare may apply.

09/03/2020

Arkia is grounding all international flights.

09/03/2020

14 day quarantine for everyone returning from abroad.

07/03/2020

Air France and Iberia join the list of airlines who are ceasing flights to and from Israel.

05/03/2020

All Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian flights to and from Israel will be suspended from 8-28/3 inclusive. Anyone who has an unused ticket on these airlines for travel during these dates
can apply for a full refund.

05/03/2020

The Lufthansa group has just come out with a notice that anyone who purchased a Lufthansa, Swiss or Austrian ticket to any destination, or a Brussels Airlines ticket to Austria, Germany, Spain or Switzerland before 27/2 for travel until 31/3 can get a full refund, or make one free change to leave not later than 30/9, This applies to a change of date only and to tickets that have not already been changed.

05/03/2020

A casualty of the Virus!

05/03/2020

Corona Virus update

Here is the updated list of countries that require a 14 day isolation period on returning from that country from/after 19/2, not including being in transit.

France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Austria.

The countries that require isolation in any event are China, Italy and South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan and Thailand. (Being in Transit in Bangkok is an exception and like the first group currently does not require isolation)

Anyone returning from Australia or Taiwan or one of the countries mentioned above and begins to feel one of the following symptoms, fever, cough, difficulty in breathing should call the 101 moked at מד"א, and should not go to their kupat cholim or emergency room.

Full details and restrictions can be found one the ministry of health website and the above is the current situation and can change at any time.

04/03/2020

Glad to be getting this page up and running, I am hoping to keep you all updated about the Coronavirus and it's impact on the world of travel as well as concessions that the airlines are offering to help the public who have already purchased tickets. In addition to which as there is such a high level of anxiety about travelling abroad, I hope to be able to bring you some special offer here at home. Stay tuned!

04/03/2020